


You bury me

by titaniumsansa



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Tragedy, Canon Related, Canon Rewrite, Canonical Character Death, Dark, F/F, Femslash, Femslash February, Five Stages of Grief, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Oneshot, Sad, Suicidal Thoughts, Young Justice Season 2, happy valentine's day, have some angst and pining, written in one go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22726381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniumsansa/pseuds/titaniumsansa
Summary: Zatanna finds out Artemis is dead. She ends up spiraling a little.
Relationships: Artemis Crock/Zatanna Zatara, Minor Dickbabs - Relationship, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	You bury me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunkelles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunkelles/gifts).



> I sat down and wrote this in one sitting after seeing this quote: 
> 
> “In my culture, we know death intimately. In Arabic, the highest expression of love is the phrase “ya’aburnee” Translated “you bury me” - It means “I love you so much, I’d sooner die than bury you” It was used by mothers in our lineage who were so used to losing their young in war; In my culture, we cannot talk about love without speaking death’s name”
> 
> — George Abraham, “Untitled,” published in Black Napkin Press

Artemis is sinking into the waves. No matter how fast she tries to run to reach her, her legs won't move and her voice won't work. Zatanna can't do anything but watch her disappear under the water. Her phone rings and she jerks awake.  
She sees her dark bedroom, the clock that declares it is five in the morning and the name on her phone. She answers the call, ready to throw off her comforter and shake off her nightmare.

  
"Hey," Dick says.  
"Hey. Why are you calling so early?" she wonders. He doesn't correct her and tell her it's the wrong question, that he's been up all night. They get each other in a few ways and he waits a moment before he lies. He couldn't do this face to face. She can see right through him. It's why they were friends with benefits for a few weeks before he moved onto the next notch in his bedpost. Zatanna knows he's in love with Barbara but he's not ready to be with her. He's scared. She can't give him shit for it, because Barbara's happily dating someone right now. Telling her would potentially ruin her current relationship.

  
Zatanna's in the same boat. She's been in love with Artemis for years but she's currently dating Wally. Dick knows that the way she knows how he takes his coffee, his dreams, the way he steals sheets, and can eat cereal regardless of the time. There wasn't much of a flame to burn out between them and they're better off as friends. Still, she exhales and hopes it'll bring him back to reality. Then he speaks and she would have rather he slapped her. She wants to pinch herself.  
"Artemis is dead," he says. She stares at her bedroom wall and the world seems to spin.

  
"That's the shittiest joke you've ever told me," she hisses. She can see the face he's making in her mind as he sighs.  
"I'm not joking. Kaldur killed her," Dick says.   
It comes together like a glass falling off a counter and shattering onto the floor. The mission in Cape Canaveral last night.  
"I thought she was retired with Wally," she tells him.  
"She came back for that mission, one-time thing," Dick explains quickly. Tears don't come out of her eyes. A flood does. Grief constricts her chest and there's a horrible feeling in her stomach.  
"I want to see her body," she insists.  
"She's getting cremated later this morning," Dick says. The feeling in her stomach spreads. The room spins.  
"No. No. You're lying. I'll be at the Cave in twenty minutes. I want to see the mission. All of it," she demands. The world blurs as her grief catches in her throat as she tries to breathe. Dick manages to agree before she hangs up.

* * *

  
She doesn't have much time to come up with a way to resurrect Artemis. None of her books could work with ashes instead of a body. There's probably a way to do so with dark magic. Other dark thoughts cross her mind. She has to live to free her father, but if she didn't--she tries to shake the thoughts away. What is a world without one of her closest friends? Who is she without her? How did Kaldur kill her? Was it quick? A million questions fill her mind as she manages to get dressed and get to the Cave.

* * *

  
The mental image of Artemis on a cold, metal table makes her want to scream like Black Canary. If she had just been there, she could have saved Artemis. She doesn't want to see Dick or Wally or anyone. Her heart aches to see Artemis again. The last time they spoke was a phone call. Just a few days ago the world was normal.   
Zatanna enters Shadowcrest, after avoiding it so successfully the last few years, because she needs more knowledge. There has to be something relevant within the library. There has to be a way she can fix this. This wasn't her fault but she can still be the one to make it right.

* * *

She takes leave from the League. After Artemis's funeral, she doesn't see anybody. It's so much easier to live alone and grieve. At Shadowcrest she'll never have unwanted visitors. A day after the funeral fades into three weeks. There are some ways she's looked into bringing Artemis back. All dark magic her Dad would forbid her from if he was around to see her. Blood magic. Sacrifice. Dark things that would stain her like ink. She hasn't felt anything at the gravesite though. Artemis has passed on. She's not stuck as a ghost despite how much she haunts Zatanna's thoughts.   
  
When Barbara asks for her to join for a stealth mission, she agrees easily. She needs to get back in the game. Though the water makes her think of her dream the morning Artemis died, she follows Barbara's lead. Instead of just knocking out a few goons, Zatanna decides to make everything easier. Everyone else on the ship is frozen.

Barbara stares at her surprised, but she still radios in for reinforcements. They can all divide and conquer the act of questioning the people running Black Manta's ship.  
"We have about an hour with that," Zatanna advises. Barbara relays the information into her comm as Zatanna works on clearing part of the ship. It's unlikely she missed anyone, but it's better to be safe than sorry. It's not hard to find Black Manta or Death Stroke, watching her with frozen eyes.

She's got her eye on the prize though and finds Kaldur with his new right hand. They're sitting next to each other and she sees red despite their costumes. She made a glamor charm for Dick and Tigress stole it from him somehow. 

  
Zatanna's not sure if she's furious about the theft or that Dick never mentioned it. She could just kill Kaldur right here, echo his words back to him, make his last words to Artemis his last words forever. She looks at him with pure hatred and wonders what he's thinking.

  
"I'm taking Tigress and Kaldur. I want to talk to them myself," Zatanna calls into the hall. Barbara shouts back an agreement. Instead of being a stealth mission about the Light, they've significantly weakened them. It should mean something. She should feel happy but grief has caused a calm numbness to everything. Her dad would call it apathy but it's so much easier to think without feelings. Easier to not have feelings at all.

  
She allows herself another glance around the metal walls and the frozen pair in front of her. She'll separate them and put them in different rooms in the Hall. Just enough time to cuff them and strip them of weapons before they can move again.

  
She starts with Tigress. It's not quite anger simmering in her veins because nothing has really mattered in the last few weeks. It's not fury because she definitely doesn't feel anything at all.

  
"Where did you get your necklace?" is the first question that leaves her mouth as Tigress shifts in her seat.  
"Where'd you get these bracelets?" she counters. She means the handcuffs but Zatanna doesn't have much patience for this.   
"Manta's son killed my best friend. So after I'm done killing him, I'm coming back for you unless you give me something," Zatanna murmurs. There's no way to get Artemis back but maybe killing the man responsible will bring her peace. She couldn't hate Kaldur for joining his dad, she'd probably do the same if her dad swapped sides, but killing Artemis was unforgivable. Nothing will change her mind. 

  
Tigress swallows.  
"I thought the Justice League had a code against killing," Tigress muses. Zatanna rewards that with a smile. It doesn't reach her eyes. She can't remember the last time she smiled but she leans in close. Not close enough to be headbutted, she's not stupid, but close enough to intimidate.

  
"I'm not Batman. And I can and will make it look like an accident. A tiny air bubble could happen to reach your brain and cause a heart attack. Water could fill your lungs and disappear when you die. And that's assuming if I'm being nice enough to let you be found. You and Manta Jr don't deserve marked graves," Zatanna threatens. The smile isn't a smile any longer but Tigress clearly recognizes it for what it is. A predator baring her teeth. Tigress might as well be a statue. She's silent, unmoving, and there's not even a hint of emotion in her face.

  
"I made that necklace. And since you're pleading the fifth, I'm going to take it back," Zatanna decides. She unhooks it and watches black hair turn blonde. She backs up with the grace of a crashing car and stares at Tigress in disbelief. She sees Artemis.

  
Maybe she's having a mental break. Or it's a dream. She curls her nails into her palm hoping the pain will be enough to bring her back to reality. It isn't. Tigress doesn't say anything. Zatanna opens her mouth and screams as loud as she possibly can. Tigress jerks her hands like she wants to cover her ears, but she's handcuffed to the chair she's sitting in.

  
The door is flung open and Zatanna realizes she's standing in the corner of the room, still screaming. She stops at the sight of Barbara.  
"She looks like Artemis, right? Tell me you see Artemis too," Zatanna begs. Barbara stares with wide eyes and an open mouth. Dick practically barrels into her and bursts into the room.

  
"Are you okay?" he asks, looking from her to Barbara. Zatanna just points.  
"She looks like Artemis," is all that Zatanna can say. Dick shuts the door behind him.  
"She is Artemis," Dick confirms. Zatanna stares at him before looking to Barbara's equally shocked face.  
"You gave her the necklace?" she asks him calmly. Dick nods.

  
She leans back slightly before she punches him in the face. He doesn't try to stop her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" tears itself out of her throat. Barbara stares at her and then to Dick, holding his cheek.  
"You knew. You fucking knew," she accuses, anger boiling in her veins. The switch has been flipped and she feels it all. The grief and the rage, the heartbreak, the hopelessness, all at once. Barbara blocks her from doing anything else to Dick. They're not alone but he knows. Of course, he knows she's in love with Artemis and he just let her think she died. He was the one who told her.

  
"Can I get uncuffed now?" Artemis asks.  
"I'm still pissed at you too," Zatanna informs her. Artemis shrugs.  
"I sort of got that from the death threats," she replies dryly.  
"From the what now?" Barbara asks.  
"I threatened to kill her and Kaldur," Zatanna says, absently. She stares at Artemis. Relief hits her like a hurricane, destroying everything, disrupting her thoughts, and the room tilts for a minute in the reality of what just happened.

  
"So, Artemis went undercover? And you knew about it?" Barbara asks. She crosses her arms with green fire for eyes. Dick nods.  
"You both put us through that. The rest of the Team. Through that. What the fuck?" Barbara echoes.   
"It was my idea. Artemis wanted to tell you two and a few of the others but I told her it would be more realistic that we all mourned," Dick says like he's reading a script. He sounds detached, almost clinical, like he's telling them they have a clean bill of health.

  
"You're more like Bruce than you think," Barbara says before slipping past him to get out of the room. Dick blinks a few times before he leaves after her.  
"I almost used dark magic for you. I thought about killing myself. I thought about actually killing you and Kaldur. I almost killed him for killing you. Is he a double agent too?" Zatanna asks. A flood is pouring out of her eyes.

  
"He is. I'm sorry, about all of this," Artemis says, a few tears escaping her eyes. Zatanna moves to unlock her cuffs.  
"You know I have to go back right? Kaldur and I need more on the Light," Artemis whispers.  
"We're going to talk first. It's overdue," Zatanna says.


End file.
